2021- 2022 Service Revisions Preliminary Proposal
Prepared for: Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee
Draft
1/30/2020
Spokane Transit assures nondiscrimination in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For more information, see www.spokanetransit.com. Upon request, alternative formats of this information will be produced for people who are disabled. Please call (509) 325-6094 (TTY WA Relay 711) or email [email protected].
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 1 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Table of Contents Executive Summary ...... 3 September 2020 Service Revisions ...... 3 May 2021 Service Revisions ...... 3 May 2022 Service Revisions ...... 4 Development of the Preliminary Proposal ...... 5 Proposed Revisions ...... 7 Increased Service to Airway Heights ...... 7 Fairchild Air Force Base, Airway Heights, & Spokane International Airport Proposed Route Concepts ...... 8 Concept A: Fairchild Air Force Base, Airway Heights, & Spokane International Airport ...... 9 Concept B: Fairchild Air Force Base, Airway Heights, & Spokane International Airport ...... 12 Greater Spokane Valley Network Adjustments ...... 16 Expand Hillyard and Northeast Spokane Routes ...... 27 Concept A: Northeast Spokane ...... 28 Concept B: Northeast Spokane ...... 39 Frequency Assumptions ...... 49 Budget Considerations ...... 51 Next Steps ...... 52 Title VI Implications...... 52 Paratransit Boundary Implications ...... 52 Appendix ...... 57 Rider Roundtable Discussion Notes ...... 57 All Employee Meeting Exercise Notes ...... 64 Online Workshop Summary Report ...... 68
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 2 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Executive Summary
In 2020, Spokane Transit will embark on the construction of its first bus rapid transit line, the Central City Line (now rebranded as the City Line), as part of the vision for high performance transit and in keeping with the STA Moving Forward plan. With its high capacity battery-electric buses, substantial stations, frequent service and streamlined operations, the City Line will function as part of an enhanced network to connect workers to jobs, people to services and partner in regional economic development. To create this functionality, STA has long planned to revise existing routes that connect to the City Line corridor, as well as introduce other service improvements. Additionally, STA intends to make other route revisions to improve system performance as part of the continuous effort to deliver service to more customers within limited resources. This report is the first in a series of iterations that depicts how STA’s routes and schedules could be altered between now and the opening of the City Line in May 2022. Unless otherwise noted, the implementation of these improvements is subject to a phased consultation process, beginning with this Preliminary Proposal and leading ultimately to a series of service revisions approved by the STA Board of Directors. Planned or proposed changes would take place primarily during three service changes:
September 2020 Service Revisions
Cheney Corridor High Performance Transit Service Service enhancements on the Cheney HPT Corridor will begin in 2020. Facilities and vehicle improvements will be completed in 2021-2022. The implementation of the service and capital improvements for Cheney HPT will be finalized with the Board Planning and Development Committee through a separate process in early 2020, addressing modifications from earlier plans. For purposes of the Preliminary Proposal, it is assumed these changes will go into effect in 2020 and therefore reflected in maps within this document.
May 2021 Service Revisions
Greater Spokane Valley Network Adjustments Route changes are proposed in Spokane Valley, Millwood, Liberty Lake and unincorporated Spokane County in order to serve new requested destinations. The proposed changes preserve service to destinations identified in STA Moving Forward while addressing under- performing segments of the existing Route 95 Mid Valley.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 3 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 May 2022 Service Revisions
City Line The City Line is a six-mile, corridor-based Bus Rapid Transit route connecting Browne’s Addition to Spokane Community College by way of Downtown Spokane and the University District. The concept and design for the City Line (previously known as the Central City Line) has been developed in collaboration with numerous stakeholders over the last several years. While the City Line will be a major part of these service changes, it is not a major focus of this report as the significant decisions regarding the routing and service levels have already been made.
Increased Service to Airway Heights Two different concepts are proposed to increase service to Airway Heights consistent with STA Moving Forward. The concepts also acknowledge the role the City Line takes on as it becomes the primary service Browne’s Addition, allowing Routes 60 and 61, which currently travel through this neighborhood, to be relocated to Sunset Boulevard thereby providing direct access to Downtown Spokane.
Expand Hillyard and Northeast Spokane Routes Two different concepts are proposed to increase service, improve connections to other parts of the region, serve new destinations in northeast Spokane, and enhance connectivity to other areas. These changes include discontinuing and/or modifying existing routes that duplicate the City Line routing.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 4 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Development of the Preliminary Proposal
The STA Moving Forward plan, as amended, and the board-adopted 2019 Transit Development Plan (TDP) identify several significant service changes and improvements that would go into effect in 2021 and 2022. Fixed-route service design requires a robust examination of opportunities, feedback and consideration of policies and design principles. This Preliminary Proposal has been developed in accordance with the principles and policies of Connect Spokane, STA’s comprehensive plan for public transportation, while meeting the commitments set forth in the STA Moving Forward plan. While these are rigorous requirements and policies, they still provide ample room for public input, discussion, and technical considerations. Indeed, transit planning has both elements of art and science with a heavy dosage of constraints introduced by the built environment. Given this, virtually every improvement in the STA Moving Forward plan will have an appropriately scaled public input process that precedes the implementation of the service or when specific design considerations are under evaluation. Voters’ approval of the funding for STA Moving Forward represents more of a beginning to public input rather than the final decision.
The Communication and Public Input element of Connect Spokane: A Comprehensive Plan for Public Transportation states:
As a public agency, Spokane Transit Authority believes that proper communications and public input is of the highest importance. To ensure transparency, accountability, and fairness, STA must use a broad range of communication tools to reach as many people as possible.
Communication and Public Input Policy 1.1 Major Service Changes mandates that when major service changes are proposed (either a large service reduction, or a restructure of the network), STA will follow federal guidelines for public outreach as well as develop a Public Outreach plan that must receive approval by the STA Board. A public outreach plan for these service changes was adopted by the STA Board on June 20, 2019. The following table outlines the adopted outreach strategies and anticipated timeline for the outreach and decision process. As noted in a report to the board in December 2019, the planned timeframe has been adjusted to provide additional time for plan development and public outreach.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 5 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Revised September 2021-2022 Service Revision Planning Schedule1 Phase/Task Date Inventory Opportunities & Goal Vetting June 2019 – October 2019 Public Outreach Plan approved by STA June 2019 Board Rider round table discussions Summer 2019 All Employee Meeting Workshops October 2019 Online workshop October 11, 2019 - November 7, 2019 Preliminary Proposal November 2019 – February 2020 Staff develop Preliminary Proposal October 2019- January 2020 Preliminary Proposal presented to Board February 2020 Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee (PMER) Online Survey February 2020 Draft Recommendation March 2020 – July 2020 Staff Prepare Draft Recommendation March 2020 - April 2020 report Staff Prepare Title VI Equity report April- May 2020 Draft Recommendation presented to June 2020 PMER Follow-up online survey June 2020 Public Hearing July 2020 Final Recommendation July 2020 - October 2020 Staff develop the Final Recommendation July 2020 - September 2020 Final Recommendation presented to October 2020 PMER STA Board action October 2020 Implementation October 2020 – May 2022 First phase of service revisions May 2021 Second phase of service revisions May 2022 including the City Line Consistent with the adopted outreach plan prior to the development of this Preliminary Proposal, STA reached out to various stakeholders to explore opportunities and vet the goals for the service change.
1 The adopted outreach plan was for changes in 2020-2022. Because September 2020 are minor and will go into effect before the board action in October 2020, they are not addressed in the outreach process beginning January 2020.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 6 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
First, STA solicited bus riders to participate in rider round table discussions. One discussion was held for each of the four geographical areas for which routes changes are proposed.
STA then took advantage of its regularly scheduled All Employee Meeting to ask employees from various departments to help identify opportunities and priorities for the service changes. In a mapping exercise, employees were asked to note what should be preserved about existing service, what new destinations should be served, and what they believed the important current or desired travel patterns are. They were then asked to prioritize potential improvements.
An online workshop with similar exercises to those used in the All Employee Meeting was then launched to allow a wider group of stakeholders to provide input. The online workshop was open from October 10, 2019 to November 7, 2019 and had 1,575 visits and 1,315 individual users.
The feedback obtained from these outreach strategies informed the concepts put forth in this Preliminary Proposal. The summary notes on the feedback obtained from these three efforts can be found in the appendix of this report.
Members from the Planning, Operations, Customer Service, Communications, and Training Departments make up STA’s internal Service Improvement Committee. This committee meets bi-monthly in order to discuss ideas, resolve route safety issues, and review proposed changes to STA’s bus system. This committee was also instrumental in the preparation of this Preliminary Proposal.
Proposed Revisions
Increased Service to Airway Heights Adding more trips and buses to Airway Heights during busy travel times is a planned STA Moving Forward improvement. The routes 61 and 60 which serve Airway Heights and the Spokane Airport respectively currently serve Browne’s Addition between Downtown Spokane and Sunset Highway. Starting in May of 2022, the City Line will provide frequent service to the Browne’s Addition neighborhood. Both routes 60 and 61 are proposed to be modified to no longer deviate through the neighborhood and instead stay on Sunset Blvd west of Downtown Spokane providing passengers more direct trips to their West Plains destinations.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 7 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Current routes serving the West Plains and the Browne’s Addition neighborhood. Fairchild Air Force Base, Airway Heights, & Spokane International Airport Proposed Route Concepts Two concepts for implementing the programed STA Moving Forward Improvements are proposed for feedback. Both concepts propose to provide new service to W 6th Avenue in Airway Heights. This assumes that street improvements will be completed to connect 6th Avenue to N Craig Rd prior to the May 2022 implementation date. If 6th Avenue is not extended to Craig Rd before the implementation, the route would continue to operate on Lawson St as the Route 61 does today until the road is extended.
A limited number of Route 61 trips currently travel on Fairchild Air Force Base (FAFB). These trips have experienced delays at the gate of FAFB due to security protocols causing traffic congestion which can often impact on time performance. The combined average daily weekday ridership in 2019 for all the bus stops beyond the FAFB gate was 14 boardings and 24 alightings. Both concepts propose that the STA route serving the base would terminate at the FAFB gate which most trips of Route 61 already do. This means that STA buses would cease operating past the FAFB gate. Conceptually, a new FAFB-operated shuttle route operating beyond the gate could be designed to facilitate transfers with STA buses at the current FAFB gate stop. The shuttle would then transport passengers to their on-base destinations beyond the gate. The shuttle may provide access to more on-base destinations than the current Route 61.
In addition to proposed changes to FAFB bus service, STA is proposing two concepts that would modify how Spokane International Airport (SIA) is served. The main tradeoff between the two concepts is that Concept A provides more direct trips between Airway Heights and Downtown Spokane via Route 61 and Concept B provides more frequency of service to SIA.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 8 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Concept A: Fairchild Air Force Base, Airway Heights, & Spokane International Airport
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 9 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Route 60 Airport/HWY 2 Concept A proposes to discontinue service through the Browne’s Addition neighborhood and extend the route from SIA along HWY 2 through Airway Heights to the Fairchild Air Force Base gate via the Spokane Tribe Casino.
Route 61 Airway Heights Concept A proposes to modify Route 61 to discontinue service through the Browne’s Addition neighborhood and operate on S Deer Heights Rd and W 12th Avenue near Walmart. The route is also proposed to be extended west on 6th Ave, contingent upon the 6th Ave being extended to N Craig Rd. Many apartments have been developed on 6th Avenue and STA has received several requests for service. If 6th Ave is not extended prior to the service change the route would operate on N Lawson Rd and terminate at the Airway Heights Park & Ride.
Route 63 Airway Heights/West Plains Route 63 is proposed to be modified to terminate near the Northern Quest Casino instead of the Airway Heights Park & Ride. These proposed changes to Route 63 are the same in both concepts.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 10 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 11 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Concept B: Fairchild Air Force Base, Airway Heights, & Spokane International Airport
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 12 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Routes 60 Airport/HWY 2 & 61 Airport/Airway Heights Concept B proposes that both routes 60 and 61 would serve the airport terminals in between Airway Heights and Downtown Spokane. As stated earlier, neither route would serve the Browne’s Addition neighborhood. This would improve the frequency of service to the airport terminal from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes on weekdays and from every hour to every 30 minutes on weekends through a schedule offset between both routes. However, all passengers traveling between Airway Heights and Downtown Spokane would have a longer, less direct trip that deviates to the airport. In addition, HWY 2 would not be served between Flint Rd and Sunset Hwy. However, it is important to point out that this does not amount to any fixed-route customers losing service as there are no bus stops along this segment. Impacts to the paratransit boundary are discussed later in this report.
Route 63 Airway Heights/West Plains As in concepts A and B Route 63 is proposed to be modified to terminate near the Northern Quest Casino instead of the Airway Heights Park & Ride.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 13 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Concepts A & B Discontinued Stops The implementation of the proposed route changes considered in these concepts would result in the addition of new bus stops and the closure of others. The table below depicts the 2019 average daily boardings (Ons)/alightings (Offs) by bus stop and direction (outbound/inbound), closest alternate stop to stops that may be discontinued, and walking distance to the general location of the closest alternate stop.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 14 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Discontinued Routes Direction Ons Offs Closest Alternate Walking Stop Served Stop Distance Lawson @ 8th 60, 61 Inbound 6 0 6th @ Lawson Within 1/4 Mile Lawson @ 8th 60, 61 Outbound 1 7 7th @ Lawson Within 1/4 Mile Lawson @ 12th 60, 61 Inbound 15 0 Hwy 2 @ Lawson Within 1/4 Mile Lawson @ 12th 60, 61 Outbound 0 19 Hwy 2 @ Lawson Within 1/4 Mile Fairchild @ Spaatz 61 Inbound 0 0 Fairchild @ Front Gate Within 1/2 Mile Fairchild @ Spaatz 61 Outbound 0 2 Fairchild @ Front Gate Within 1/2 Mile Fairchild @ BX 101 61 Inbound 14 0 Fairchild @ Front Gate Within 1/2 Mile Spaatz Rd Fairchild @ BX 101 61 Outbound 0 21 Fairchild @ Front Gate Within 1/2 Mile Spaatz Rd Fairchild @ Fitness 61 Outbound 0 1 Fairchild @ Front Gate Within 1 Mile Center Cannon @ 4th (new 4th @ Hemlock 60, 61 Inbound 14 0 City Line) Within 1/4 Mile Cannon @ 4th (new 4th @ Hemlock 60, 61 Outbound 0 13 City Line) Within 1/4 Mile Pacific @ Oak (new Maple @ Pacific 60, 61 Inbound 6 0 City Line) Within 1/4 Mile Pacific @ Oak (new Maple @ Pacific 60, 61 Outbound 5 30 City Line) Within 1/4 Mile Pacific @ Oak (new Pacific @ Cannon 60, 61 Inbound 43 0 City Line) Within 1/4 Mile Pacific @ Oak (new Pacific @ Cannon 60, 61 Outbound 3 29 City Line) Within 1/4 Mile
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 15 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Greater Spokane Valley Network Adjustments One of the projects included in the STA Moving Forward Plan is to “Add service on E Indiana Ave between the Spokane Valley Mall and Greenacres.” This was accomplished in May of 2017 with the implementation of the new Route 95 Mid-Valley. The Route 95 has been operating for almost three years and it has failed to meet all three performance standards defined in Connect Spokane in both 2017 (began service in May) and 2018 (not anticipated to meet performance standards for 2019 either). In 2019 the average ridership on the route was just 8.5 boardings per revenue hour. Other similar routes in the valley range between 12 and 15 boards per revenue hour. Connect Spokane policy calls for allowing at least two but not more than three years for a route to mature before corrective action is required. Other route adjustments are proposed in Spokane Valley to address the poor performance of the Route 95 while also adding new service to new designations. The route network concept proposed below would repurpose the resources of the Route 95 to better connect Spokane Valley to Liberty Lake, including the planned Ridgeline High School. The proposed concept below would also connect Spokane Valley with north Spokane via Millwood while adding a new connection to Spokane Falls Community College. The proposed concept would also keep the STA Moving Forward promise of providing service on E Indiana Ave between the Spokane Valley Mall and Greenacres.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 16 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 17 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
New Route 71 Mirabeau Point Express The Route 71 would provide express service every 30 minutes on weekdays between the Mirabeau Park & Ride and N Monroe St, via I-90, the University District and the STA Plaza in Downtown Spokane. The route would be interlined at Mirabeau Park & Ride (same bus) with the new Route 72 on weekdays providing a one seat ride between the Spokane County Campus and Liberty Lake.
New Route 72 Indiana/Mission The Route 72 would provide service every 30 minutes on weekdays and every hour nights and weekends between Mirabeau Park & Ride and Liberty Lake. It would serve the recently developed medical offices and apartments along E Indiana Ave and new apartments developing along Mission Ave in north Liberty Lake. The eastern terminus of the route would be the Mission Ave side of the Meadowood Technology Campus (Comcast) in Liberty Lake. It would be interlined with the Route 71 at Mirabeau Park & Ride weekdays.
Discontinue Route 74 The current Route 74 is proposed to be discontinued and replaced by the new routes 71, 72, 171, and 174.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 18 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 19 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
New Route 92 SFCC/VTC This route would provide a new connection between north Spokane and Spokane Valley. The route would serve Spokane Falls Community College, the West Central neighborhood, and provide east-west connection in north Spokane. It would replace the Route 39 service in Minnehaha neighborhood, provide new service on Upriver Drive and Argonne Rd north of the Spokane River in Millwood and connect the Argonne Rd/Mullan Rd corridor to the Valley Transit Center. Service would be every 30 minutes on weekdays and every hour nights and weekends.
New Route 93 East Valley The Route 93 would provide service between the Mirabeau Park & Ride and the Spokane Business & Industrial Park and East Valley High School via E Indiana Ave and N Sullivan Rd.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 20 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Route 94 East Central/Broadway-Mission Because service to Millwood will be provided by the new Route 92, Route 94 is proposed to be extended east from Argonne and Mullan Roads. It will provide service on E Broadway Ave between N Park Rd and S Bowdish Rd, N Bowdish Rd between E Broadway Rd and E Mission Ave, E Mission Ave between N Bowdish Rd and N Evergreen including the Valley Hospital, and connect to the Mirabeau Park & Ride via N Evergreen and E Indiana Ave (Spokane Valley Mall).
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 21 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Discontinue Route 95 Mid-Valley As discussed above the Route 95 has been underperforming is proposed to be discontinued. Some segments of the route will be served by other routes. E Broadway Ave from N University Rd to N Bowdish Rd (Spokane Valley Partners food bank) will be served by the modified Route 94. E Indiana Avenue between the Mirabeau Park & Ride and N Flora Rd would be served by new routes 72 and 93. However, buses would no longer operate on E Broadway Ave from N Bowdish Rd to N Flora Rd.
Route 96 Pines The Route 96 is proposed to be modified to serve Pines Rd between Indiana Ave and 16th Ave and terminate at the Mirabeau Park & Ride. The current Mission Ave Route 96 segment would be served by Route 94. East Valley High School and the Spokane Business and Industrial Park that are served by the current Route 96 will be served by the new Route 93 which will connect to the modified Route 96 at the Mirabeau Park & Ride. In other words, Route 96 would basically be separated into two routes 96 and 93 with the only change being not serving Mission Ave between Pines and Evergreen Roads. This reinstates a popular transfer point between current routes 74 (reconfigured in this Preliminary Proposal) and 96 (now numbered 93) at Mirabeau Park & Ride instead of having to connect between routes at Indiana Ave and Evergreen Rd.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 22 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Route 98 Sprague/Appleway The Route 98 is proposed to be modified to operate on E Appleway Ave/Country Vista Drive between Barker Rd and the Liberty Lake Park & Ride serving the new Ridgeline High School, newly constructed apartments, and retail development. E Mission Ave between N Barker Rd and the Liberty Lake Park & Ride will be served by the new Route 72. Service along Barker Rd between Appleway Ave and Mission Ave would be discontinued and not served by other routes.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 23 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
New Route 171 Mirabeau/Pinecroft Express The Route 171 is proposed to provide weekday peak service between Downtown Spokane and the Pinecroft Business Park via the University District and the Mirabeau Park & Ride. Together the new Route 71 and Route 171 would provide service every 15 minutes between the Mirabeau Park & Ride, the University District, and Downtown Spokane during the weekday peak travel times.
New Route 174 Meadowwood Express The Route 174 Meadowwood Express would provide peak weekday express service between Downtown Spokane to Liberty Lake employments sites along E Appleway Ave, N Molter Rd and terminating at the E Mission Ave Meadowwood Campus (Comcast). The route would operate in the eastbound direction in the AM peak and the westbound direction in the PM peak. It would be interlined with the current Route 172 Liberty Lake Express which provides service in the opposite direction.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 24 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 25 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Greater Spokane Valley Concept Discontinued Stops The implementation of route changes considered in this concept would result in the addition of new bus stops and the closure of others. The table below depicts the 2019 average daily boardings (Ons)/alightings (Offs) by bus stop and direction (outbound/inbound), closest alternate stop to stops that may be discontinued, and walking distance to the general location of the closest alternate stop. Discontinued Routes Direction Ons Offs Closest Alternate Walking Stop Served Stop Distance Liberty @ 94 Outbound 1 11 Argonne @ Grace Within 1/2 Mile Marguerite Vista @ Fairwood 94 Outbound 0 5 Argonne @ Grace Within 1/2 Mile Buckeye @ Dale 94 Outbound 0 33 Argonne @ Trent Within 1/4 Mile Broadway @ 95 Inbound 0 0 Broadway @ Pines Within 1/4 Mile Perrine Broadway @ 95 Outbound 0 0 Broadway @ Pines Within 1/4 Mile Perrine Broadway @ 95 Inbound 4 2 Broadway @ Pines Within 1/4 Mile Pines Broadway @ 95 Outbound 4 10 Broadway @ Pines Within 1/4 Mile Pines Broadway @ 95 Inbound 1 0 Broadway @ Pines Within 1/4 Mile Vercler Broadway @ 95 Outbound 0 0 Broadway @ Pines Within 1/4 Mile Vercler Broadway @ 95 Inbound 8 1 Broadway @ Pines Within 1/2 Mile McDonald Broadway @ 95 Outbound 0 0 Broadway @ Pines Within 1/2 Mile McDonald Broadway @ 95 Inbound 0 0 Mission @ Blake Within 1/2 Mile Blake Broadway @ 95 Outbound 0 0 Mission @ Blake Within 1/2 Mile Blake Broadway @ 95 Inbound 0 0 Sullivan @ Within 1/4 Mile Evergreen Broadway Broadway @ 95 Outbound 0 2 Sullivan @ Within 1/4 Mile Evergreen Broadway Broadway @ Best 95 Inbound 0 0 Sprague @ Best Within 1/2 Mile Broadway @ Best 95 Outbound 1 0 Sprague @ Best Within 1/2 Mile Broadway @ 95 Inbound 2 0 Sprague @ Adams Within 1/2 Mile Adams Broadway @ 95 Outbound 0 1 Sprague @ Adams Within 1/2 Mile Adams Broadway @ 95 Inbound 1 0 Sprague @ Progress Within 1/2 Mile Progress
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 26 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Discontinued Routes Direction Ons Offs Closest Alternate Walking Stop Served Stop Distance Broadway @ 95 Outbound 0 0 Sprague @ Progress Within 1/2 Mile Progress Broadway @ 95 Inbound 4 0 Sullivan @ Within 1/4 Mile Sullivan Broadway Broadway @ 95 Outbound 0 13 Sullivan @ Within 1/4 Mile Sullivan Broadway Broadway @ 95 Inbound 14 2 Sullivan @ Within 1/4 Mile Moore Broadway Broadway @ 95 Outbound 0 16 Sullivan @ Within 1/4 Mile Moore Broadway Broadway @ 95 Inbound 1 1 Sullivan @ Within 1/2 Mile Conklin Broadway Broadway @ 95 Outbound 1 0 Sullivan @ Within 1/2 Mile Conklin Broadway Broadway @ 95 Inbound 0 0 Sprague @ Flora Within 1/2 Mile Flora Broadway @ 95 Outbound 1 0 Sprague @ Flora Within 1/2 Mile Flora Flora @ Mission 95 Inbound 1 0 Mission @ Within 1/2 Mile Riverstone Flora @ Mission 95 Outbound 0 3 Mission @ Within 1/2 Mile Riverstone Barker @ Alki 98 Outbound 0 0 Mission @ Harmony Within 1/2 Mile Barker @ Boone 98 Inbound 0 5 Mission @ Harmony Within 1/2 Mile Barker @ Boone 98 Outbound 0 7 Appleway @ Boone Within 1/4 Mile Barker @ Mission 98 Inbound 1 2 Mission @ Harmony Within 1/4 Mile Barker @ Mission 98 Outbound 0 3 Mission @ Harmony Within 1/4 Mile
Expand Hillyard and Northeast Spokane Routes The STA Moving Forward plan includes increased frequency to Hillyard and new service to areas north of Francis Ave and east of Nevada. A new north-south connection between the Logan neighborhood and South Perry/Lincoln heights neighborhoods that does not go through downtown is also included in the plan. Additionally, STA heard that there is a desire for better east-west connection during the Inventory Opportunities and Goal Vetting phase of outreach. Two concepts to achieve these objectives are proposed for stakeholder feedback and additional analysis. Concept A proposes routes that directly serve more destinations with basic service. Concept B proposes a grid that relies on connections but provides more frequent service.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 27 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Concept A: Northeast Spokane
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 28 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 New City Line The City Line is a six-mile, corridor-based Bus Rapid Transit route connecting Browne’s Addition to Spokane Community College by way of Downtown Spokane and the University District. The alignment of the City Line has been set since 2016 and is not proposed to change.
Route 25 Division (Renumbered 5) The current Route 25 is proposed to be modified to stay on N Division St/Hwy 395 between Downtown Spokane and the Hastings Park & Ride instead of deviating onto N Newport Hwy and W Hawthorne Rd as it does today. Service on Newport Hwy between W Hawthorne Rd and N Division St would be provided by new Route 47. The route would also be renumbered 5 to recognize the High Performance Transit investments that have been implemented in the corridor.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 29 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Discontinue Route 26 Lidgerwood The southern route segment of Route 26 through the University District would be replaced by the City Line and the northern segment would be replaced by new Route 56. It should be noted that the proposed Route 56 would not travel to the Downtown Spokane core and passengers would need to transfer to the frequent (7.5-minute weekday peak frequency) City Line in order to travel to the STA Plaza.
Route 27 Hillyard The Route 27 is proposed to be modified to reduce turning movements. Reducing the number of turns will help improve reliability. Segments of the current Route 27 of N Perry St and N Crestline St would no longer be served by the Route 27 but by a new Route 47. The route will stay on Empire Ave adjacent to the Northeast Community Center instead of operating on N
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 30 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Cook St. N Cook St is proposed to be closed to through vehicle traffic between the Community Center, new Hillyard Library, and new Shaw Middle School in order to facilitate a connected campus. The route would also be extended north on N Market St to E Francis Ave providing new service to the Hillyard Aquatic Center and CHAS Market St Clinic.
Route 28 Nevada The Route 28 is proposed to be modified to operate on N Washington St and E Mission Ave between Downtown Spokane and N Hamilton St instead of traveling through the University District. This will avoid duplication of service with the frequent City Line. The northern route segment past Mission Ave would remain unchanged.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 31 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Discontinue Route 29 SCC The Route 29 would be replaced by the City Line and new Route 56 which would serve N Napa St and E Trent Ave to continue service to the US Social Security Administration office. The route would still serve the University District, but buses would not originate from Downtown Spokane to avoid duplication of service with the City Line. Transfers to Downtown Spokane would take place at the University District stops.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 32 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Discontinue Route 39 Mission The Route 39 would be replaced by the City Line and modified Route 28. The new Route 92 would provide service to the Minnehaha neighborhood as well as connect customers in this area to other frequent north Spokane and Spokane Valley routes.
New Route 47 Crestline/Logan/Lincoln The proposed new Route 47 Crestline/Logan/Lincoln would provide new service to the North Spokane YMCA, replace service on Newport Hwy between E Hawthorne Rd and N Division St currently provided by the Route 25, provide new service on E Magnesium Rd east of Nevada St, and provide new service on N Crestline St between N Francis Ave and E Magnesium Rd. In addition, the route would serve the Perry District, Southwest Blvd, and the South Hill Park & Ride. This route would also fulfill the STA Moving Forward promises of new service to areas north of N Francis Ave and east of N Nevada St as well as more frequency to Hillyard. This route would also fulfill the STA Moving Forward promise of a Logan neighborhood to Lincoln Heights neighborhood connection. The route would provide service every 30 minutes on weekdays and every hour on nights and weekends.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 33 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
New Route 56 Lidgerwood Concept A proposes to replace portions of the current routes 26 and 29 which are proposed to be discontinued and served by other routes. The proposed Route 56 Lidgerwood would provide service every 30 minutes on weekdays and every hour nights and weekends to the Lidgerwood area, Napa Street, the Iron Bridge Business Park (US Social Security Administration office) and the U District. The routing is basically the same as the current Route 26 north of E Mission Ave to Holy Family Hospital but would turn around at Lincoln Rd instead of ending at WinCo Foods (still served by Route 28). It would connect with the City Line at E Mission and N Columbus St and at the WSU Spokane Campus.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 34 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
New Route 92 SFCC/VTC As described above under the Greater Spokane Valley section, the new Route 92 would provide a new connection between north Spokane and Spokane Valley. The route would serve Spokane Falls Station at Spokane Falls Community College, the West Central neighborhood of Spokane, provide an east-west connection in northeast Spokane, replace the Route 39 service to Minnehaha, provide new service on Upriver Drive and north Millwood and connect the Argonne corridor to the Valley Transit Center. Service would be every 30 minutes on weekdays and every hour on nights and weekends.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 35 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Northeast Spokane Concept A Discontinued Stops The implementation of route changes considered in Concept A would result in the addition of new bus stops and the closure of others. The table below depicts the 2019 average daily boardings (Ons)/alightings (Offs) by bus stop and direction (outbound/inbound), closest alternate stop to stops that may be discontinued, and walking distance to the general location of the closest alternate stop.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 36 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Discontinued Routes Direction Ons Offs Closest Alternate Walking Stop Served Stop Distance Dakota @ Jay 26 Inbound 110 0 Nevada @ Hoerner Within 1/2 Mile Dakota @ Jay 26 Outbound 0 101 Nevada @ Hoerner Within 1/2 Mile Lincoln @ Dakota 26 Inbound 1 0 Standard @ Lincoln Within 1/4 Mile Lincoln @ Dakota 26 Outbound 0 0 Standard @ Lincoln Within 1/4 Mile Lincoln @ 26 Inbound 1 0 Nevada @ Lincoln Within 1/4 Mile Wilding Lincoln @ 26 Outbound 0 7 Nevada @ Lincoln Within 1/4 Mile Wilding Rowan @ Lacy 27 Inbound 13 3 Rowan @ Haven Within 1/4 Mile Rowan @ Lacy 27 Outbound 1 16 Rowan @ Haven Within 1/4 Mile Rowan @ Stone 27 Inbound 12 0 Crestline @ Joseph Within 1/4 Mile Rowan @ Stone 27 Outbound 1 8 Crestline @ Joseph Within 1/4 Mile Cook @ Hoffman 27 Inbound 19 0 Wellesley @ Cook Within 1/4 Mile Cook @ 27 Outbound 0 33 Wellesley @ Lacy Within 1/4 Mile Wellesley Cook @ Rich 27 Inbound 20 7 Wellesley @ Cook Within 1/4 Mile Cook @ Rich 27 Outbound 11 25 Wellesley @ Cook Within 1/4 Mile Northeast 27 Inbound 54 17 Empire @ Cook Within 1/4 Mile Community Center Northeast 27 Outbound 20 46 Empire @ Cook Within 1/4 Mile Community Center Myrtle @ 39 Outbound 15 15 Myrtle @ Fredrick Within 1/2 Mile Mariette Ave Marietta @ 39 Outbound 4 2 Fredrick @ Within 1/2 Mile Rebecca Sycamore Freya @ Jackson 39 Outbound 34 96 Greene @ Jackson Within 1/2 Mile Illinois @ Morton 27 Inbound 6 0 Perry Place @ Within 1/4 Mile Illinois Illinois @ Morton 27 Outbound 1 3 Perry Place @ Within 1/4 Mile Illinois Illinois @ 27 Inbound 15 6 Hamilton @ Illinois Within 1/4 Mile Hamilton Illinois @ 27 Outbound 1 4 Hamilton @ Illinois Within 1/4 Mile Hamilton Dakota @ Illinois 27 Inbound 8 0 Hamilton @ Illinois Within 1/4 Mile Dakota @ Illinois 27 Outbound 0 7 Hamilton @ Illinois Within 1/4 Mile Indiana @ 27 Inbound 11 0 Hamilton @ Indiana Within 1/4 Mile Standard Indiana @ 27 Outbound 0 7 Hamilton @ Indiana Within 1/4 Mile Standard
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 37 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Indiana @ 27 Inbound 6 2 Ruby @ Indiana Within 1/4 Mile Lidgerwood Indiana @ 27 Outbound 13 9 Ruby @ Indiana Within 1/4 Mile Lidgerwood Indiana @ Ruby 27 Inbound 3 12 Ruby @ Indiana Within 1/4 Mile Indiana @ 27 Inbound 1 6 Division @ Nora Within 1/4 Mile Division Indiana @ 27 Outbound 10 12 Division @ Nora Within 1/4 Mile Division Washington @ 27 Outbound 5 26 Washington @ Within 1/4 Mile Indiana Mission Discontinued Route Direction Ons Offs Closest Walking Stop s Alternate Stop Distance Served Washington @ 27 Inbound 30 1 Washington @ Within 1/4 Mile Nora Mission
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 38 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Concept B: Northeast Spokane
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 39 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 New City Line As in Concept A, Concept B highlights the City Line for reference. No change is proposed to the established alignment.
New Route 2 Garland/Francis Concept B proposes to replace the Route 27 with the new Route 2 that will provide frequent service on W Francis Ave, N Market St and Garland Empire. It would provide 15-minute service on weekdays and 30-minute service on nights and weekends. It will provide an east-west connection to frequent service on N Monroe St (Route 4), N Hamilton/Nevada St (Routes 26/28), and N Market St (Route 33), creating a frequent grid in northeast Spokane. The route would also connect to several routes along E Empire Ave including the new Route 47.
Route 25 Division (Renumbered 5) As in Concept A, the current Route 25 (renumbered 5) would be modified to stay on N Division St/Hwy 395 between downtown and the Hastings Park & Ride instead of deviating onto N Newport Hwy as it does today. Service on Newport Highway would be provided by the modified Route 26. The Route would also be renamed the number 5 to recognize the High Performance Transit investments that have been implemented in the corridor.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 40 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Route 22 Northwest Boulevard In order to accommodate the new Route 2 at the Five Mile Park & Ride the Route 22 would be modified to terminate and layover W Rosewood Ave and N Wall St instead of the Five Mile Park & Ride. This layover location has been used in the past. Connections from the Route 22 to other routes will still be possible at W Francis Ave stops.
Route 26 Nevada/Newport Highway Concept B proposes to modify the Route 26 to serve the north Spokane YMCA, Newport Hwy, Division St, Nevada/Hamilton from E Francis Ave to Mission, and Washington St from Mission to
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 41 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Downtown Spokane. Together with the revised Route 28, the revised Route 26 will continue to provide service every 15 minutes on weekdays on N Nevada/Hamilton St; however, this frequent service would continue all the way up to Francis Ave. Currently, both routes combine frequency up to E Empire Ave. Portions of the route that are proposed to be discontinued will be replaced by the City Line and Route 47 or still served by the Route 28. However, the current segment of Route 26 between E Francis Ave and E Empire along Addison and Lidgerwood Streets would no longer be served. Frequent service is within .5 miles on N Division St (Route 5) and N Nevada St (Routes 26 and 28).
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 42 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Route 28 Nevada/Washington As in Concept A, the Route 28 is proposed to be modified to operate on N Washington St and E Mission Ave between Downtown Spokane and N Hamilton St instead of traveling through the University District. This will avoid duplication of service with the frequent City Line.
Route 29 Napa/MLK Concept B proposes to revise the Route 29 to stay on Martin Luther King Blvd instead of diverting into the WSU Campus and terminate at E Mission and N Napa in order to avoid duplication with frequent service on the City Line which will replace Route 29 service to SCC. This means the route would not travel across the Trent Ave bridge but would still serve the US Social Security Administration office and well used stops on Napa St.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 43 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Discontinue Route 39 Mission The Route 39 would be replaced by City line (service to SCC) and the modified Route 28 (N Washington & E Mission Ave service). The new Route 92 will provide service to the Minnehaha neighborhood as well as connect customers in this area to other frequent north Spokane and Spokane Valley routes.
New Route 47 Crestline/Logan/Lincoln As with Concept A, Concept B proposes the new Route 47 that would provide new service on E Magnesium and N Crestline St. The main difference between the concepts is that Route 26 would serve Newport Hwy between N Division St and E Hawthorne Rd and Route 47 in Concept B would end at the current Route 26 end-of-line at WinCo Foods. This would fulfill the STA Moving Forward promises of new service to areas north of Francis Ave and east of Nevada St and more frequency to Hillyard (along with the proposed Route 2). It would connect the Logan, South Perry and Lincoln Heights neighborhoods via Hamilton St, Arthur St, Perry St and Southeast Blvd, terminating at the South Hill Park & Ride. This would fulfill the STA Moving Forward promise of a Logan to Lincoln Heights connection. The route would provide service every 30 minutes on weekdays and every hour on nights and weekends.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 44 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
New Route 92 SFCC/VTC As described under the Greater Spokane Valley and Concept B sections, the new Route 92 would provide a new connection between north Spokane and Spokane Valley. The route would serve Spokane Falls Community College, the West Central neighborhood, provide an east-west connection in northeast Spokane, replace the Route 39 service to Minnehaha, provide new service on Upriver Drive and north Millwood and connect the Argonne corridor to the Valley Transit Center. Service would be every 30 minutes on weekdays and every hour on nights and weekends. The Route 92 routing is the same in all the proposed concepts.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 45 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Northeast Spokane Concept B Discontinued Stops The implementation of route changes considered in Concept B would result in the addition of new bus stops and the closure of others. The table below depicts the 2019 average daily boardings (Ons)/alightings (Offs) by bus stop and direction (outbound/inbound), closest alternate stop to stops that may be discontinued, and walking distance to the general location of the closest alternate stop.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 46 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Discontinued Stop Routes Direction Ons Offs Closest Alternate Walking Served Stop Distance Lincoln @ Dakota Inbound Standard @ Lincoln Within 1/4 26 1 0 Mile Lincoln @ Dakota Outbound Standard @ Lincoln Within 1/4 26 0 0 Mile Lincoln @ Wilding Inbound Nevada @ Lincoln Within 1/4 26 1 0 Mile Lincoln @ Wilding Outbound Nevada @ Lincoln Within 1/4 26 0 7 Mile Lidgerwood @ Francis Inbound Francis @ Lidgerwood Within 1/4 26 4 0 Mile Lidgerwood @ Francis Outbound Francis @ Lidgerwood Within 1/4 26 0 4 Mile Lidgerwood @ Dalke Inbound Francis @ Lidgerwood Within 1/4 26 7 0 Mile Lidgerwood @ Dalke Outbound Francis @ Lidgerwood Within 1/4 26 0 15 Mile Lidgerwood @ Central Outbound Francis @ Lidgerwood Within 1/4 26 0 12 Mile Lidgerwood @ Columbia Inbound Francis @ Lidgerwood Within 1/2 26 19 0 Mile Lidgerwood @ Joseph Outbound Division @ Central Within 1/2 26 0 3 Mile Lidgerwood @ Rowan Inbound Division @ Rowan Within 1/4 26 9 0 Mile Lidgerwood @ Rowan Outbound Division @ Rowan Within 1/4 26 1 13 Mile Lidgerwood @ Everett Inbound Division @ Queen Within 1/2 26 2 0 Mile Lidgerwood @ Everett Outbound Division @ Queen Within 1/2 26 0 2 Mile Lidgerwood @ 26 Inbound 15 21 Wellesley @ Within 1/4 Olympic/Wabash Lidgerwood Mile Lidgerwood @ Wabash 26 Outbound 11 14 Wellesley @ Within 1/4 Lidgerwood Mile Addison @ Longfellow Inbound Wellesley @ Addison Within 1/4 26 5 0 Mile Addison @ Longfellow Outbound Wellesley @ Addison Within 1/4 26 0 7 Mile Addison @ Walton Inbound Division @ Empire Within 1/2 26 1 0 Mile Addison @ Walton Outbound Division @ Empire Within 1/2 26 0 1 Mile Rowan @ Lacy Inbound Rowan @ Haven Within 1/4 27 13 3 Mile
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 47 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Discontinued Stop Routes Direction Ons Offs Closest Alternate Walking Served Stop Distance Rowan @ Lacy Outbound Rowan @ Haven Within 1/4 27 1 16 Mile Rowan @ Stone Inbound Crestline @ Joseph Within 1/4 27 12 0 Mile Rowan @ Stone Outbound Crestline @ Joseph Within 1/4 27 1 8 Mile Cook @ Hoffman Inbound Wellesley @ Cook Within 1/4 27 19 0 Mile Cook @ Wellesley Outbound Wellesley @ Lacy Within 1/4 27 0 33 Mile Cook @ Rich Inbound Wellesley @ Cook Within 1/4 27 20 7 Mile Cook @ Rich Outbound Wellesley @ Cook Within 1/4 27 11 25 Mile Northeast Community Inbound Empire @ Stone Within 1/4 27 54 17 Center Mile Northeast Community Outbound Empire @ Stone Within 1/4 27 20 46 Center Mile Illinois @ Morton Inbound Perry Place @ Illinois Within 1/4 27 6 0 Mile Illinois @ Morton Outbound Perry Place @ Illinois Within 1/4 27 1 3 Mile Illinois @ Hamilton Inbound Hamilton @ Illinois Within 1/4 27 15 6 Mile Illinois @ Hamilton Outbound Hamilton @ Illinois Within 1/4 27 1 4 Mile Illinois @ Dakota Inbound Hamilton @ Illinois Within 1/4 27 8 0 Mile Dakota @ Illinois Outbound Hamilton @ Illinois Within 1/4 27 0 7 Mile Indiana @ Standard Inbound Hamilton @ Indiana Within 1/4 27 11 0 Mile Indiana @ Standard Outbound Hamilton @ Indiana Within 1/4 27 0 7 Mile Indiana @ Lidgerwood Inbound Ruby @ Indiana Within 1/4 27 6 2 Mile Indiana @ Lidgerwood Outbound Ruby @ Indiana Within 1/4 27 13 9 Mile Indiana @ Ruby Inbound Ruby @ Indiana Within 1/4 27 3 12 Mile Indiana @ Division Inbound Division @ Nora Within 1/4 27 1 6 Mile Indiana @ Division Outbound Division @ Nora Within 1/4 27 10 12 Mile
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 48 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Discontinued Stop Routes Direction Ons Offs Closest Alternate Walking Served Stop Distance Washington @ Indiana Outbound Washington @ Within 1/4 27 5 26 Mission Mile Washington @ Nora Inbound Washington @ Within 1/4 27 30 1 Mission Mile Myrtle @ Mariette Ave Outbound Within 1/2 39 15 15 Myrtle @ Fredrick Mile Marietta @ Rebecca Outbound Within 1/2 39 4 2 Fredrick @ Sycamore Mile Freya @ Jackson Outbound Within 1/2 39 34 96 Greene @ Jackson Mile
Frequency Assumptions The following table outlines the assumed frequency of service for each of the new and modified routes discussed in this Preliminary Proposal. This table is intended to provide planning level assumptions and the final schedules will be developed prior to the service change.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 49 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Assumed Approximate Frequency Shown in Minutes AM PM Weekday Mid- Weekday Weekday Saturdays Saturday Sundays Route1 peak (~ Weekday peak (~ Evening Evenings/ and 6:30-8:30 4:00-6:30 Nights Holidays AM) PM) City Line 7.5 10 7.5 15 15 30 15 2 Garland/Francis 15 15 15 30-60 30 30 30 (Concept B) 5 Division 15 15 15 30-60 15-30 30 30 22 Northwest Blvd 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 (Concept B) 26 Nevada/Newport 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 Hwy (Concept B) 27 Hillyard 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 (Concept A) 28 Nevada 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 29 Napa/MLK 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 (Concept B) 47 Crestline/ Lincoln/ 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 Logan 56 Lidgerwood 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 (Concept A) 60 Airport/HWY 2/ 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 Airway Heights 61 Airway 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 Heights/HWY 2 63 Airway Heights/West 602 60 602 60 60 60 60 Plains 71 Mirabeau Point 30 30 30 60 - - - Express 72 Indiana/Mission 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 92 SFCC/VTC 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 93 East Valley 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 94 East Central/Broadway/ 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 Mission 96 Pines 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 98 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 Sprague/Appleway
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 50 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 AM PM Weekday Mid- Weekday Weekday Saturdays Saturday Sundays Route1 peak (~ Weekday peak (~ Evening Evenings/ and 6:30-8:30 4:00-6:30 Nights Holidays AM) PM) 171 Mirabeau/ 30 - 30 - - - - Pinecroft Express 174 Meadowwood 30 - 30 - - - - Express 1. Routes included in all concepts unless noted. 2. The Route 63 frequency will be supplemented to address demand from Amazon shift changes as needed.
Budget Considerations The comparison for the concepts listed above is summarized in the table below. The estimates are generally in line with 2022 TDP projected revenue vehicle hours. Scheduling efficiencies always develop when the details are worked out which would put Concept B closer to TDP projections.
2022 TDP Projected 2022 Concept A 2022 Concept B Annual Fixed-Route 516,657 513,871 524,962 Revenue Vehicle Hrs.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 51 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Next Steps
Although many of the concepts listed in this Preliminary Proposal have been outlined in the STA Moving Forward plan and 2019 TDP, the ideas for the 2021-2022 service changes will be brought forward through a further public process consistent with the Board adopted public outreach plan discussed above. While significant analysis and evaluation has taken place to prepare this Preliminary Proposal, more public consideration and feedback is needed to refine the proposal. Key objectives of sharing the Preliminary Proposal with customers and the general public are as follows: • Ensure broad input and education to achieve an understanding of concerns and constraints. • Help our customers understand how the proposed service revisions could affect their travel choices. • Obtain public feedback on every aspect of the proposal in order to develop a Draft Recommendation for a formal public hearing and consideration process to take place in July 2020 prior to a final decision by the Board in October 2020.
Title VI Implications
Section 601 of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states: No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Because STA will be implementing a Small Starts project, the City Line, as a part of these service changes, the Federal Transit Administration requires that STA conduct an equity analysis comparing service levels before and after the service change. This analysis will be conducted after the Draft Recommendation is complete.
Paratransit Boundary Implications
Complementary Paratransit service is provided to persons whose disability precludes them from accessing conventional fixed-route bus service in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Pursuant to the ADA, Spokane Transit Paratransit service is provided within ¾ of a mile of each fixed route. Paratransit Policy 1.2 of the Comprehensive Plan for Public Transportation states that Spokane Transit will “adhere to a consistent boundary for Paratransit service availability relative to the maximum fixed-route service footprint and span provided.” Where there are exceptions, this policy makes it relatively simple to identify most
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 52 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 locations that will be impacted by changes in routes that affect the Paratransit boundary. The maps on the following pages show the Paratransit Service Area impacts should certain aspects of the Preliminary Proposal go into effect.
Paratransit Service Boundary Implications for Airway Heights and Fairchild Air Force Base The implementation of either of the concepts for the Fairchild Air Force Base, Airway Heights, and Spokane International Airport focus area would expand the Paratransit service boundary to the east and west of Airway Heights and truncate it on Fairchild Air Force Base (FAFB). In 2019, 743 paratransit trips by 17 customers were taken within the area on Fairchild Air Force Base that would no longer be within the paratransit boundary. Concept B would also truncate the Paratransit boundary north of Highway 2 between the Sunset Hill and Airway Heights. This portion of the current paratransit boundary is mostly occupied by agricultural land.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 53 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Paratransit Service Boundary Implications for the Greater Spokane Valley The implementation of the proposed concept for the Greater Spokane Valley would expand the Paratransit boundary as shown in the map below.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 54 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
Paratransit Service Boundary Implications for Northeast Spokane The implementation of either concept proposed for northeast Spokane would expand the paratransit boundary as shown in the map below.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 55 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 56 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Appendix
Rider Roundtable Discussion Notes
2021 Rider Roundtable Discussion Tuesday, July 30th, 2019 Notes Second Floor Conference Room, STA Plaza 6:00-7:30pm Focus Area: Cheney
STA staff present Kathleen Weinand, Karl Otterstrom, Nick Hanson, Micah Fechner Six community participants. All are current bus riders. Group Discussion: What do you like about the existing service between Spokane and Cheney? • STA put the shopping center back on the route and that is a big plus. • The buses are clean, comfy, and not too crowded • The buses arrive on time • The drivers are friendly • Cheney has a good transportation hub • The 66 is direct to Spokane • Buses are good for students • The 64 goes to Salnave • The frequency • Internet service on the articulated buses How do you think service between Spokane and Cheney could be improved? • 5pm evening bus is not convenient for those who get off at 5:00 PM • The frequency of 64 to Spokane in the evenings is not good. • One person who voted for STA Moving Forward was sad that all that happened for her in Salnave was that she lost service. • 66 needs to connect at WPTC better • There needs to be better direct service to the valley • Safer locations for bus stops • Better security at bus stops • Better security at Jefferson Park and Ride • Snow removal at bus stops around Cheney. Talk to business owners and get them on board • Need a bus stop at 6th and Betz • More service new WPTC. There will be new apartments near there
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 57 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 • Better connections and earlier service around Salnave • There should be closer stop spacing • Cheney Food Pantry bus stop should be reevaluated. There is a steep hill from bus stop to get there. • The 68 to the 64/66 needs better timed connections, with shorter layover for passengers • Pub is the most logical connection point for the 64, 66, 67, and 68 • Cheney and Spokane has a 2 way flow all day. It is not just mornings and evenings • STA should talk to businesses about using their lots for parking, to make for a good place to park and ride out of Cheney. Safeway and Yokes would be good options • There should be power outlets to charge devices on the double decker buses. • The Yokes stop is not visible for drivers because of overgrown trees. People waiting at the stop need to flag down driver. What are your thoughts on having Double Decker Buses? • They seem to work well in Seattle • Climbing stairs might be difficult for people with disabilities/elderly • Backpacks may take up more space on seats since less people will stand At major stations where many people board, what amenities do you think are important? • Heating • Bathrooms • Boarding passes sold at the PUB • Shelters designed to keep the wind out like the shelter at WPTC. Enclosure. • Blue Lights at larger stops for signaling law enforcement • One person enjoys being able to wait in her car at the WPTC for the bus since she can see when it arrives. • Internet service at transit centers and bus stops 2021 Rider Roundtable Discussion Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 Agenda Second Floor Conference Room, STA Plaza 3:00-4:30pm
Focus Area: Valley, Liberty Lake, and Millwood STA staff present Kathleen Weinand, Elise Sepe, Micah Fechner Eleven community participants. All are current bus riders. Group Discussion: What do you like about the existing service in the Valley, Liberty Lake, and Millwood? • There are many route options for riders
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 58 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 • Good route times • Sat/Sun service in Liberty Lake • The 172 is much better than taking the 90 • The early morning buses • Good access • The buses are timely • The current location of the Liberty Lake Park and ride is nice since it is close to grocery stores and services How could service in the Valley, Liberty Lake, and Millwood be improved? • There is not a stop at Mirabeau Parkway and Pines • There is not a bus stop healthcare uses near Mirabeau • Service is not frequent enough on Saturdays and evenings • Route 90 and 98 on Saturdays has too much bus stop spacing. There needs to be an express route • Needs greater frequency on Sundays • Earlier routes on weekends • Higher frequency of the 172 especially in the afternoons • Later Sun/Holiday service • STA should get rid of Sun/Holiday service and just do “Weekend service” • Need public bathrooms at VTC and Mirabeau • More frequency at the VTC, similar to the Mirabeau Park and Ride • VTC should have the same options and connections as Mirabeau Park and Ride • Mirabeau should be moved closer to the mall for better safety • Stops need to be closer to crosswalks • Sidewalks need to be better plowed • It would be good to be able to virtually load cards with a new farebox system • The stop at the roundabout on route 95 is in a bad location (Flora @ Indiana) • There needs to be improved service within Liberty Lake on route 98. • The bus should travel to the South end of Liberty Lake to the County Park • The evening loop on route 172 is important and should be kept in any future planning decisions • There should be an option to catch a bus in North Idaho when service reaches there so that drivers do not have to cross state lines. • If there is service change in Liberty Lake, the Big Trout Condos should retain service near them. • More frequent service to Millwood with later service in the evening for those commuting home after work-specifically a 6:15pm inbound bus from Argonne and Sinto Ave.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 59 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 • South Valley is under served and needs more service. The group was then asked to comment on some service change concepts Relocate and expand the Liberty Lake Park and Ride with easier access to I-90. Take the route 74 off of I-90 between Liberty Lake and Evergreen. Serve the new high school with route 98 • There should be more frequency on 172 if this happens • There would need to be a larger 172 bus • The current location of the park and ride is nice because it is close to the shopping center • If route 98 service was expanded father south in Liberty Lake, more people would use the service The Mirabeau Park and Ride would be relocated closer to the Valley Mall and expanded. Provide direct service between the Mirabeau Park and Ride and the Valley Transit Center. • Pines from 16th to 32nd needs bus service • There is more density in the Valley now and it needs better service • There could be a Park and Ride south of 32nd • Pedestrian access in the area is lacking and sidewalks and crosswalks are non-existent or sparsely connected. Extend service north on Pines to serve the Pinecroft Business Park. • Overall this was highly encouraged by volunteers Connect the Valley Transit Center to Spokane Community College via Upriver Dr. and Argonne. • Upriver Dr. needs service Final Thoughts: • There needs to be bus stop on Mullan @ Broadway • There needs to be a bus stop at Duluth Trading Company • There should be better advertising done by STA to encourage bus ridership • STA route planner needs improvement • STA Realtime app is not the best • Highlighting the bad roads in Spokane and how the bus can take away the stress of driving could be used to advertise for STA.
2021 Rider Roundtable Discussion Friday, August 2nd, 2019 Notes Second Floor Conference Room, STA Plaza 3:00pm-4:30pm
Focus Area: Northeast Spokane
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 60 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 STA staff present Kathleen Weinand, Micah Fechner, Elise Sepe Eleven community participants. A majority regularly ride the bus. Group Discussion: What do you like about existing service in Northeast Spokane? • Bus drivers are familiar, and this allows for better predictability to the rider • Frequency of the 25 • Good community among riders, and friendly drivers • 124 is great in mornings and it is quick • Thank you for maintaining route 39 during construction • City loop is a great connection, please don’t change it • Excited for the CCL • The buses feel safe How could service be improved? • 27 has timing connection issues • Connections with route 25 need improvements • Not enough seating at stops • Need more shelters on Division • Realtime app and Google trip planner need to be improved • Hub and spoke model are only good for commute trips • NE needs a better connection to South Perry • East/West connection would be good on Empire and Boone • 27 should continue further east on Francis • Earlier buses on route 27 • For Route 39 1 bus/hr is not frequent enough past 6pm • 33 and 28 leave at the same time on weekends not helpful for providing options to get downtown • Bus schedules are not designed for people who not on a 9-6 schedule • Bus shelter designs are too hot • Not enough safe crossings at bus stops -- “One-way bus stops” Trent is really bad and requires a 4-lane dash. • 27 during peak is overcrowded and is not frequent enough. • STA should use their political power to get better pedestrian infrastructure • Transit stops need to provide for better access to grocery stores • Buses should go to fewer places, and efforts should be focused on more dense areas • STA needs to reduce the monthly pass rate • Would like routes to be expanded past Windermere to Deer Park • STA needs to better coordinate with other agencies in our region to connect service to further out of the city
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 61 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 • STA should concentrate routes to areas with apartments • Need more storage for groceries on buses What factors impact whether you are able to use the bus? • Weather • Frequency and accessibility STA Moving Forward concepts were shown to the group. Below are some of the comments shared. • What is going to replace Route 39? • Like the Idea of a new route connecting the VTC via Argonne, could it go further west than SCC • Buses should have 20-minute frequency instead of 15/30 • Route 26 should connect to the Vintage Apartments • Route 33: bus stops on Market need closer stop spacing. It is difficult to walk in that area. • 25 should serve the north YMCA and Costco • 33 and 27 should receive higher frequency • There should be a rider of the month program to celebrate bus riders • There should be a bus that travels along market all the way to Francis • The 27 should travel along North Foothills or Empire. • Perry is great for N/S connection Final thoughts and any additional comments • Get dedicated ROW early • Do not shut out Minnehaha neighborhood with future 395 • Not enough trash cans at stops. Route 27 especially • Bus schedule or frequency should be listed on bus signs • Late night service past 12am on all buses • Maintain bus stops in winter • Realtime/google is not using plaza as connection point (directs transfers to other bus stops)
2021 Rider Roundtable Discussion Saturday, August 3rd, 2019 Notes Second Floor Conference Room, STA Plaza 10:00am-11:30am Focus Area: Spokane Airport, Airway Heights/Sunset Hwy, Fairchild STA staff present Kathleen Weinand, Micah Fechner, Elise Sepe Four community participants including regular bus riders and a Paratransit customer.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 62 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Group Discussion: What do you like about existing service? • The stop at Sunset Boulevard and Government Way • Connections are good • Stops are close to home • Downtown service is convenient • Good layout of stops on highway 2 • Bus timing is good • Summer youth pass • Personable drivers How do you think service could be improved? • There should be bus service to Eagle Ridge on Highway 195 with a sheltered bus stop • Highway 195/Thorpe is not serviced • 6th /Aspen has a lot of apartments but no bus service • No bus service to rec center • Buses are too full on route 61 to Spokane in evenings between 3-7:30ish • The connection between the 90 and the 96 outbound on weekends at the Valley Transit Center past 4:20pm has a long wait. • Not enough buses travel onto base • 61 could be 20 min frequency • Bus drivers pass the Spokane tribe when they are running late • Extended Sunday service and weekend service • Buses often run late making for missed connections • Overall better weekend service • 61 to Spokane is always late • Confusion between 60 and 61 at the plaza STA Moving Forward concepts were shown to the group. Below are some of the comments shared. • Like the idea of more peak frequency to Airway Heights • Like the idea of No Browne’s service on the 60 ad 61 • Base shuttle would be a good idea • The 60 extending to casino down 6th avenue in Airway Heights is a great idea • Commuters don’t need service to Browne’s or casinos • Apartments along 6th in Airway want to be able to travel to new rec center and SFCC Factors Impacting Ridership • Can’t always afford a bus pass • There should be a family pass for STA buses
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 63 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Final thoughts and any additional comments • Summer youth pass is great but, wish it worked all year round • Paratransit is $2 both directions and would like that to be cheaper • Employer subsidized bus passes are great, and they should be promoted more
All Employee Meeting Exercise Notes
On Tuesday October 8, 2019 STA hosted a series of four All Employee Meetings. Each meeting was approximately 90 minutes long. During the meetings employees were asked to participate in groups discussion focusing on the potential service development for the 2020-2022 service changes. The employees were split into groups which focused on four different service areas within the STA Public Transportation Benefit Area. The four focus areas were Cheney, Airway Heights, the Valley, and Northeast Spokane.
The Planning and Development department asked teams three major questions: • What should STA preserve about existing routes within the focus areas? • What future developments may be important in the focus area for the 2020-2022 service changes? • What important travel patterns currently exist and what should be included in the 2020- 2022 service changes?
The teams used different colored markers to draw out ideas on printed maps of the focus areas. Red markers indicated the most important destinations that are currently served by bus. Blue markers indicated areas that are not currently served by bus routes that should be. Green markers showed important existing or desired travel patterns.
Results of the mapping exercise are summarized below:
Cheney: What should STA preserve about existing routes within the focus areas? • Eastern Washington University • Four Lakes • West Plains Transit Center • Amazon • Airport • Jefferson Park and Ride
What future developments may be important in the focus area for the 2020-2022 service changes?
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 64 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 • Eagle Ridge • Latah Valley • Geiger Heights • Areas southeast of Cheney Spokane Rd • Neighborhood southeast of the WPTC
What important travel patterns currently exist and what should be included in the 2020-2022 service changes? • Between Cheney and the Airport • WPTC to Airway • WPTC to Medical Lake • Cheney to Spokane through Eagle Ridge and Latah Valley
Northeast: What should STA preserve about existing routes within the focus areas? • Division Corridor • Spokane Community College • Whitworth/ Fairwood • Shadle Shopping Center • Northtown/ Providence Hospital • Rogers High School
What future developments may be important in the focus area for the 2020-2022 service changes? • Costco Hwy 2 • YMCA Hwy 2 • Hillyard east of Market • North of Francis and East of Nevada to Lincoln Rd • 5 Mile • Apartments northeast of SFCC on Upriver Dr
What important travel patterns currently exist and what should be included in the 2020-2022 service changes? • East/west connection on Empire between Driscoll and Cook • Service on NSC to Hwy 2 • Service on Hwy 2 north of Hawthorne • North/south connection on Monroe, Division, Hamilton, Maple and Nevada • Service north of Rowan on Market to Lincoln and to Magnesium • Upriver Drive east of Greene
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 65 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Airway Heights: What should STA preserve about existing routes within the focus areas? • Service to the Airport • Airway Heights • Fairchild • NQ Casino • Spokane Tribe Casino • WPTC • Yokes • Amazon • Cheney
What future developments may be important in the focus area for the 2020-2022 service changes? • Airway Heights Rec Center • West Prairie Village on Craig Rd • Airway Pointe Senior/ Arrowleaf Village north of 6th Ave • Geiger Heights/ Marshall: Southeast of WPTC • Geiger Blvd
What important travel patterns currently exist and what should be included in the 2020-2022 service changes? • Spokane to WPTC • WPTC to Airway • WPTC to Cheney • Medical Lake to Airway via Brooks Rd • Airway to Rec Center
Valley: What should STA preserve about existing routes within the focus areas? • Valley Mall • LL P&R • VTC • Walmart • Valley Hospital • Industrial Park • Mirabeau PR
What future developments may be important in the focus area for the 2020-2022 service changes?
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 66 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 • Service to Idaho • Better service in LL • Millwood north of the River • Development northwest of Argonne to Bigelow Gulch • Veradale/Saltese Flatts
What important travel patterns currently exist and what should be included in the 2020-2022 service changes? • Spokane to LLPR via I90 • Sprague to LL S of I90 • Dishman Mica to 32nd Ave • South Pines from 32nd to 16th and 16th from Pines to Evergreen • Trent to Idaho
The groups were then asked to place sticker “dots” on papers that had proposed between nine and 15 improvement ideas for the service changes. Each focus area had different ideas for the changes. Employees could also write in suggestions if an idea they had was not listed.
Each employee was given three dots. They were asked to place their dots on the improvements they believed would be best for the focus area. They could place them on different improvements or place all three of them on a single improvement if they wished.
The top three service improvement ideas for each service area are summarized below:
Cheney: • More trips during the evenings on weekdays – 16 dots • More frequent buses on the weekend – 9 dots • More Realtime bus departure signage – 9 dots
Northeast: • A route that goes further north – 22 dots • More east-west connections – 18 dots • Faster routes to major destinations (less turns and stops) – 10 dots
Airway Heights: • Shorter wait times for buses between Medical Lake and Airway Heights – 21 dots • A new route that stays straight on Highway 2 between Downtown Spokane and Fairchild Air Force Base through Airway Heights – 17 dots • A bus route on 6th avenue in northwest Airway Heights – 13 dots
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 67 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Valley: • A bus route between the Valley Transit Center and Spokane Community College – 25 dots • Express bus from the Mirabeau Transit Center to Cheney/Eastern Washington University – 22 dots • Direct trip from Spokane Valley to the Spokane University District – 15 dots
Online Workshop Summary Report
The following pages summarize feedback gathered through the online workshop conducted October 10, 2019 to November 7, 2019. Results of the survey provide insight into the interests and needs of current customers and other community members but is not a scientific measure of the relative importance of varying opinions and ideas.
2021- 2022 Service Revisions 68 Spokane Transit Authority Draft 1/30/2020 Spokane Transit Service Changes 2020-2022 Online Workshop Summary Report - FINAL January 2020
Key Findings • Among survey respondents, STA service is most commonly used to get to work (66% of respondents) and to run errands (50% of respondents). • Participants’ top priorities include providing service to more destinations (38%), faster, more direct service (13%), and improving service frequency (12%). • The top priority in all four focus areas was providing service further north. • Frequently suggested service improvements include better aligning service span with demand at Spokane International Airport and Eastern State Hospital, providing service further north, and improving first- last-mile connectivity.
Overview Spokane Transit Authority (STA) held an online outreach and engagement workshop (Appendix A) during the period from October 10 to November 7, 2019, to identify opportunities and vet goals for service changes in four focus areas within STA’s service area (Figure 1): • North Spokane • Airway Heights/Spokane Airport/Fairchild Air Force Base • Greater Spokane Valley • The Spokane-Cheney Corridor
Figure 1: STA service area and online workshop focus areas
The primary viewing and feedback tool for this outreach period was an online workshop that included an interactive map and survey component. This engagement aimed to give the public, community
Spokane Transit Service Changes 2020-2022 Online Workshop Summary Report Page 1 of 9 groups, and project stakeholders the ability to learn about the project and provide input to help inform STA’s preliminary proposal for service changes in the four focus areas.
The online survey asked participants to indicate up to three issues from a list to tell STA how transit service could be improved for each focus area. The list below provides an overview of themes identified from the issues for each focus area.
Northeast Spokane Of 181 total responses for how STA could improve transit service in Northeast Spokane, the following themes emerged: • Improve service span (70%, 55 responses) • Provide service to new destinations (53%, 42 responses) • Improve bus stop amenities (27%, 40 responses) • Provide faster, more direct service (10%, 19 responses)
Airway Heights/Spokane Airport/Fairchild Air Force Base Of 77 total responses for how STA could improve transit service in Airway Heights/Spokane Airport/Fairchild Air Force Base, the following themes emerged: • New base shuttle service (77% of respondents indicated support for a base shuttle) • Provide service to new destinations (47%, 36 responses) • Improve service span (39%, 30 responses)
Greater Spokane Valley Of 117 total responses for how STA could improve transit service in the Greater Spokane Valley, the following themes emerged: • New, more direct service within the focus area (56%, 65 responses) • Improve service span (31%, 36 responses)
Spokane-Cheney Corridor Of 108 total responses for how STA could improve transit service in the Spokane-Cheney Corridor, the following themes emerged: • More frequent weekend service and aligned service with work schedules (71%, 32 responses) • Faster, more direct service (42%, 22 responses) • Service to more destinations (30%, 14 responses)
Project outreach objectives The online workshop sought to achieve the following objectives for the project: • Provide context related to STA’s existing service, STA Moving Forward, and planned service changes. • Break down complex technical information in an easy to understand format through interactive tools. • Collect feedback on opportunities and goals for service changes in the four focus areas. • Build an understanding of the project timeline, process for making decisions, and opportunities for public involvement. • Engage communities who may not traditionally participate in the engagement process.
The online workshop sought to enable participants to: • Understand how service may change in the future as an outcome of STA Moving Forward Spokane Transit Service Changes 2020-2022 Online Workshop Summary Report Page 2 of 9 • Provide input on opportunities and proposed goals for the four focus areas • Feel that their input is being recorded in meaningful ways and will genuinely affect next steps
Outreach notification process Notice of the online workshop was provided via the following methods: • Signage posted at high ridership bus stops in the focus areas • On-board audible announcements on routes in the focus areas • Signage at STA facilities • Emails to Spokane County Commute Trip reduction employee coordinators • Emails to neighborhood groups and other interested parties • Social media posts • Paid advertising on social media
Results overview The online workshop had 1,575 visits and 1,315 individual users. The most daily visits were observed on October 11 (160 visits, 147 users), October 14 (151 visits, 142 users), and October 18 (106 visits, 99 users).
Site analytics Over half of the visits were the result of a “direct” search, meaning visitors entered the site URL directly into their browser. Facebook referrals accounted for 32.4% of visits. Traffic sources, device, and visitor location are shown below. Full site analytics are detailed in Appendices B, C, and D.
The following sections received the most visits: • STA service changes (1,415 visits) • Project timeline (1,264 visits) • Interactive map (1,192 visits) • Survey1 (403 visits) • Next steps (261 visits) • Share your thoughts1 (221 visits)
Interactive map While the interactive map received more than one thousand visits, 92 unique stakeholder visitors submitted a total of 205 comments. The following themes emerged from the map comments: • Suggest an improvement (77 comments) • New place you would like a bus to go (74 comments) • Important existing/desired travel routes (36 comments) • Important destinations served by transit (18 comments)
The interactive map allowed participants to post a comment as well as indicate if they agreed with other comments. See Appendix E for interactive map analytics. The following themes emerged in the comments: • Increase service span
1 The Share your thoughts section was renamed to Survey on October 17. The Survey received 403 visits between October 17 and November 7. Spokane Transit Service Changes 2020-2022 Online Workshop Summary Report Page 3 of 9 o Example comment (Airway Heights/Spokane Airport/Fairchild Air Force Base focus area): The airport should not be building more parking spaces. We need to increase service that supports incoming and outgoing flights at ALL hours of the day. First flight out is 5:30 AM, last arrival is after midnight. Coordination with the airport schedule could help to better serve these flights. (11 likes) • Provide more frequent service o Example comment (Spokane-Cheney Corridor focus area): As a student of Eastern Washington University, I would really love your consideration of running the 66 bus from Cheney to Spokane more often. They use the long, caterpillar buses and still people are always standing. I think this addition of more frequent running times would greatly benefit the students, staff, and residents of Cheney and Spokane. • Align service with major employment centers/EWU campuses schedules o Example comments: ▪ (Medical Lake area): Eastern State Hospital's shifts have recently changed to be 6:30am-3pm, 2:30pm-11:00pm, and 10:30pm-7:00am. It would be nice if route times could adjust to these new start and end times so more workers can use the bus. (9 likes) ▪ (Spokane-Cheney Corridor focus area): Direct line from EWU Cheney campus to EWU Spokane campus. Lots of students take classes at both campuses, and employees who work in Cheney take classes on the Spokane campus. Right now I have to bus to Cheney, bus back to Spokane, then drive to EWU Spokane from park and ride. Would absolutely bus that route if it were direct and didn't involve a lot of switches/connections. (9 likes) • Improve weekend service o Example comment (proximate to the Spokane-Cheney Corridor area, near Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children’s Hospital): This is a great connection point between the medical centers and the Health Sciences campus. Needs to be advertised better to improve usage. Also, consider having the route run earlier - clinical students often start their shifts at 6:30 am or earlier. If they could park on campus and then catch the bus to the hospitals it could alleviate the parking congestion at the hospitals. Might also consider a direct route between the campus and the hospitals that would run to match clinical hours. • Improve first- last-mile connectivity o Example comments: ▪ (North Spokane focus area): Difficult to access the bus stop due to the wide road (both Division and Ruby). ▪ (North Spokane focus area): Extremely dangerous crossing needed to access the bus stop; traffic does not yield to pedestrians and there are very few natural gaps in traffic most of the day (3 likes)
Online survey Overview The online survey received 262 complete responses. More than half of the respondents reported living in one of four areas: Spokane Valley (15%), Northwest Spokane (14%), Northeast Spokane (12%), and Cheney (11%).
Spokane Transit Service Changes 2020-2022 Online Workshop Summary Report Page 4 of 9 STA service use overview Of the survey respondents, 79% (203 responses) indicated they use STA services, of which 187 indicated they use STA bus service. Of bus service users, 133 respondents (71.5%) indicated they use bus service three or more days per week. The majority of bus trips are for work, followed by shopping and medical appointments. Figure 2 below shows how respondents use STA bus service.
Survey responses to “Where do you usually go when you are using the bus?” by number of respondents
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0 Work Shoping/errands Medical To see School Other Airport (for appointments family/friends travel)
Figure 2: How respondents use STA bus services, by number of respondents
Focus area feedback overview Survey participants were asked to provide feedback on what they liked about existing bus routes as well as to prioritize how STA could improve bus services in any of the four focus areas. Focus area-specific questions are detailed in Appendix F. Of the four focus areas, Greater Spokane Valley received the greatest number of comments, and many respondents opted to comment on more than one area, as detailed in the below graph (Figure 3).
Spokane Transit Service Changes 2020-2022 Online Workshop Summary Report Page 5 of 9 Survey responses to “STA wants to know how you use transit services in Northeast Spokane, Airway Heights, Spokane Valley, and between Spokane and Cheney. What areas are you interested in?” by number of respondents
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0 Northeast Spokane Greater Spokane Valley Airway Heights/ Spokane Spokane-Cheney Corrodor Airport /Fairchild Air Force Base
Figure 3: Number of survey responses in each focus area, by number of respondents
Participants also had the opportunity to provide open-ended feedback on each focus area. This feedback is summarized and broken down into themes below. Qualitative, open-ended feedback was coded based on generalized topics and themes. Some comments included multiple themes or no general themes, so total number of respondents is inexact.
Northeast Spokane area feedback The following themes emerged from the 55 open-ended responses submitted for this focus area: • Provide faster, more direct service (16 responses) o Example comments: ▪ It would make travelling a lot easier for me. Currently a trip that driving would take 15 minutes takes an hour and a half. And if I miss a bus that number shoots even higher. Reliability is key. ▪ I only take the bus when cycling or walking is too impractical (too far, bad weather, steep hills) and there isn't a large time difference compared to driving. The time loss of riding the bus currently for all but the most direct of trips is pretty steep: from walking to the bus stop, waiting at the bus stop (which is miserable, standing on a narrow sidewalk on the edge of a busy street), actually riding the bus (lots of stops and delays), transferring downtown (I just don't ride if a transfer is involved; too much time loss), walking to my destination from the bus stop, and then arriving way early because with the bus schedule I had a choice of arriving 14 minutes early or 1 minute late. It's rare that I ride the bus rather than bike or drive (or even walk) because of this time loss. • Provide service to new destinations (12 responses) o Example comment: ▪ Direct line from EWU Cheney campus to EWU Spokane campus. Lots of students take classes at both campuses, and employees who work in Cheney take classes on the Spokane campus. Right now I have to bus to Cheney, bus back to Spokane Transit Service Changes 2020-2022 Online Workshop Summary Report Page 6 of 9 Spokane, then drive to EWU Spokane from park and ride. Would absolutely bus that route if it were direct and didn't involve a lot of switches/connections. (9 likes) • Improve service span (10 responses) o Example comment: ▪ I would be able to get to work sooner so I can move up in my field. A lot of higher paying jobs start at 5am. Changing to earlier start times or running main buses all night could help people get better paying jobs • Improve bus stop amenities (7 responses) o Example comment: ▪ More sheltered bus stops would benefit anyone having to wait for a bus in inclement weather. I don't even mind the rain too much if I have an umbrella, but shelters also prevent being splashed by traffic. Improving crosswalks at all stops should be a priority. People need to be able to cross the street quickly and safely to get to where they want to go. Participants were asked to prioritize various improvements to services. The following issues emerged as the most important from the respondents: • 38% would like bus service to go further north • 30% would like more shelters at bus stops • 24% would like more routes to more destinations
Airway Heights/Spokane Airport/Fairchild Air Force Base area feedback The following themes emerged from the 26 open-ended responses submitted for this focus area: • Improve service span (13 responses) o Example comments: ▪ Often we take plane trips, and we prefer riding the bus to/from the airport, instead of parking our car in the lot there. If the bus had later trips in the evening (and earlier trips in the morning), we'd be able to take STA more frequently. • New base shuttle service (5 responses; 77% of total respondents indicated support for new base shuttle service when asked directly) o Example comments: ▪ I like the idea of a base shuttle which also prevents random people mistakenly staying on the bus when we get to the gate if passengers have to show their id to get on the shuttle -- this reduces the odds of waiting for security forces at the gate talking to and inevitably kicking these passengers off the bus in order to allow the shuttle through the gate. If possible it would be amazing to get a direct to base shuttle from the plaza. ▪ I work at Fairchild and there is only very limited buses that go to base or especially on base which makes it very difficult to coordinate the buses with my work schedule which is unfortunately not flexible due to the nature of the job and causes me to have either a very long walk to the gate or wait time until the next bus at the BX which is especially difficult during the winter months when the temperature drops and the sidewalks are not well maintained. • Improve bus stop amenities (4 responses) o Example comment: ▪ People wait in local stores to stay out of inclement weather and a covered sitting area at the bus stop would give people a place to wait. They also wait until the last minute before heading out and potentially miss their ride.
Spokane Transit Service Changes 2020-2022 Online Workshop Summary Report Page 7 of 9 Participants were asked to prioritize various improvements to services. The following issues emerged as the most important from the respondents: • 30% would like shorter wait times for buses between Medical Lake and Airway Heights • 27% would like a direct bus route between Airway Heights and the West Plains Transit Center • 25% would like more frequent bus trips to major destinations
Greater Spokane Valley area feedback The following themes emerged from the 38 open-ended responses submitted for this focus area: • New, more direct service within the focus area (19 responses) o Example comments: ▪ I wouldn't have to drive to the transit center to catch the 74 Liberty Lake express to downtown when the weather is crummy. It would also be nice to have a bus that goes through the University District versus having to go downtown or get off and walk over from Riverside and Browne to either the campus in nice weather or the stop to make sure you don't miss your transfer when the traffic is bad. ▪ As a parent to a Child with special needs and a Social Service Provider, half of the East County (anything past EVHS) has no access. This would allow my daughter more freedom as she cannot drive AND the Otis Orchards and East Farm Community could access services they need with ease. There should be a stop at Otis Library and State Line area. • Improve service span (11 responses) o Example comment: ▪ Utilizing the same schedule on the weekends as the weekdays will open up more bus usage on the weekend for those individuals that not only work on the weekends but go downtown for entertainment.
Participants were asked to prioritize various improvements to services. The following issues emerged as the most important from the respondents: • 35% would like more frequent buses • 32% would like a bus route between the Valley Transit Center and Spokane Community College • 31% would like a direct bus route from Spokane Valley to the Spokane University District
Spokane-Cheney Corridor area feedback The following themes emerged from the 27 open-ended responses submitted for this focus area: • Align service span with work schedules (15 responses) o Example comments: ▪ There are evening classes that students attend at the Spokane campus and the 8:35pm bus fills up fast for Route 64 heading back to Cheney. Have Route 64 run every 30 mins after Route 66 ends until 9pm, then run it once an hour. During the summer and non-EWU school days run Route 68 once an hour but when it reaches the PUB interline it with Route 67 so that it also runs once an hour. That way you're serving both sides of 1st St/Hwy 904 with only one bus. ▪ I take night classes at Spokane EWU but need to return back to Cheney during the night. I have to wait an hour if misses one bus. Also, I know a lot of students take classes at both, Cheney and Spokane Campus would like the same way.
Spokane Transit Service Changes 2020-2022 Online Workshop Summary Report Page 8 of 9 ▪ I work until 8:00 p.m. at EWU on Sundays and have to drive from Spokane because there is not bus late enough to get home. If there was a bus to Spokane at 8:00 p.m. on Sundays I would take it every week. • Service to more destinations (10 responses) o Example comment: ▪ Except for going into Spokane and back on workdays, I do most in-Cheney trips by car. There is almost no parking at Salnave-Presley so, when I drive to K Street to catch the local bus, I’m already halfway to wherever else I want to go in town.
Participants were asked to prioritize various improvements to services. The following issues emerged as the most important from the respondents: • 40% would like more frequent buses on the weekend • 31% would like more trips during the evenings and on weekdays • 29% would like extended Cheney route to the EWU/Washington State University Spokane Campus
Spokane Transit Service Changes 2020-2022 Online Workshop Summary Report Page 9 of 9 Appendix A: Survey analytics overview
A-6 Appendix B: Survey analytics traffic referral sources
Appendix C: Survey analytics traffic referral platforms and visitor locations
A-7 Appendix D: Interactive map results overview
A-8